Denitsa Yancheva

The Effect of Camphor and Borneol on Rat Thymocyte Viability and Oxidative Stress

Camphor and borneol are wildly distributed in the essential oils of medicinal plants from various parts of the World. Our study has been carried out to evaluate the effect of these two bicyclic monoterpenes on rat thymocytes. Camphor and borneol at concentrations of 0.5 and 5 µg/mL did not induce significant toxicity on the immune system cells, while a significant increase of thymocyte viability was detected when cells were incubated with 50 µg/mL of camphor. A significant increase of cell viability was similarly detected when thymocytes were cultivated with borneol at concentrations of 0.5 and 5 µg/mL. The role of camphor and borneol in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) disturbances in rat thymocytes as well as their potential mechanism(s) of action were also discussed.

Two 6-(propan-2-yl)-4-methyl-morpholine-2,5-diones as new non-purine xanthine oxidase inhibitors and anti-inflammatory agents

Two cyclodidepsipeptides, 3-(2-methylpropyl)-6-(propan-2-yl)-4-methyl-morpholine-2,5-dione (1) and 3,6-di(propan-2-yl)-4-methyl-morpholine-2,5-dione (2), were evaluated for inhibitory activity against commercial enzyme xanthine oxidase (XO) in vitro and XO in rat liver homogenate as well as for anti-inflammatory response on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Both of cyclodidepsipeptides were excellent inhibitors of XO and significantly suppressed the nuclear factor of κB (NF-κB) activation. Allopurinol, a widely used XO inhibitor and drug to treat gout, relevated stronger inhibitory effect on rat liver XO activity than those of compounds 1 and 2. Molecular docking studies were performed to gain an insight into their binding modes with XO. The studied morpholine-diones derivatives exerting XO inhibition and anti-inflammatory effect may give a promise to be used in the treatment of gout and other excessive uric acid production or inflammatory conditions.

Modification of Rapana thomasiana hemocyanin with choline amino acid salts significantly enhances its antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 human breast cancer cells

This is the first study on the interactions of ionic liquids with large metalloproteins, in particular hemocyanins (Hcs). At first, complexes of a Hc from Rapana thomasiana (RtH) with a series of biocompatible choline amino acid salts [Chol][AA] were obtained. Applying UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry the effect of these organic salts on the structure and thermal stability of RtH was assessed. Then, the cytotoxic effect of RtH–[Chol][AA] on breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and 3T3 fibroblast cells (non cancerous) was evaluated. We found that all [Chol][AA] induced clear time- and concentration-dependent alterations in the RtH conformation. The conformation and the thermal stability of IL-modified RtH depend strongly on the type of the anion of the tested compounds. All [Chol][AA]-modified RtHs exhibited lower thermal stability than the native RtH. At the same time, we established a good correlation between the structure of RtH and its antitumor activity. Namely, RtH–[Chol][AA] complexes exhibited enhanced antiproliferative activity toward the MCF-7 cell line. The observed antiproliferative effect was cell specific and the compounds have no effect or in some cases have stimulatory effect on fibroblasts.

Experimental and computational studies of the structure and vibrational spectra of pyridinium-betaine of squaric acid

The FTIR spectra of pyridinium-betaine of squaric acid in 4000-100 cm(-1) frequency region in solid state were measured. In addition, the structure and harmonic vibrational frequencies of this molecule were theoretically evaluated using restricted Hartree-Fock and B3LYP density functional methods. The computed vibrational frequencies are used to determine the types of molecular motions associated with each of the experimental bands observed. Comparison with the experimental spectra provides important information about the ability of these computational methods to describe the vibrational modes in these highly polar strained ring compounds.

Stimulatory effect on rat thymocytes proliferation and antimicrobial activity of two 6-(propan-2-yl)-4-methyl-morpholine-2,5-diones

Recently we reported the identification and synthesis of cyclodidepsipeptides, 3,6-di(propan-2-yl)-4-methyl-morpholine-2,5-dione (PPM) and 3-(2-methylpropyl)-6-(propan-2-yl)-4-methyl-morpholine-2,5-dione (BPM), as potential precursors of enniatin B in Fusarium sporotrichioides. No data concerning biological activity of PPM and BPM have hitherto been published. The possible immunomodulatory effect and antimicrobial activity of PPM and BPM were investigated in this study, due to well known biological activities of enniatin B. The cytotoxicity effect of PPM and BPM on rat thymocytes demonstrated that increasing concentrations (0.1, 1, 10 μg/well) of PPM and BPM to cell culture, showed no significant effect on thymocytes toxicity. Simultaneously, incubation with studied cyclodidepsipeptides did not result with decreased mitochondrial membrane potential. Further, thymocytes exposure to increasing concentration of PPM and BPM was not able to induce significant reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in rat thymocytes. PPM and BPM administrations to cell culture in concentrations of 0.1 and 1 μg/well resulted with no significant increase of proliferative activity. However, significantly increased proliferative activity was detected with 10 μg of PPM (p<0.001) and BPM (p<0.05), as compared to their respective controls. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of PPM and BPM was tested against two Gram-positive and three Gram-negative bacteria. The results indicated that MIC values against tested strains ranged between 2.00 and 25.00 mg/ml. PPM showed much better activity against all tested bacteria in comparison with BPM. PPM was equally effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, at the dose of 2.00 mg/ml.

Thermal and conformational stability of insulin in the presence of imidazolium-based ionic liquids

Abstract Stabilization of the monomeric form of insulin (In) under condition of low pH has been a recent challenge. This research aims to reveal the effect of a series of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) on the stability of In dissolved in highly acidic solution (pH 2.0). Differential scanning calorimetry was applied to assess the thermal stability of In in the presence of these ILs. In addition, we monitored the IL-induced changes in the In secondary structure using Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. The peak of In thermal denaturation was shifted to higher temperatures in the presence of the tested acetate, trifluoroacetate and dicyanamide salts. At the same time, chloride and thiocyanate ILs had no effect on the thermal stability of the insulin, while the tricyanomethanide salt slightly destabilized the protein. The change in the In conformation affected not only the position but also the sharpness and the shape of the transition peak. As a whole, those ILs which were able to preserve or enhance helical structure of In produced stabilizing effect and those which stimulated the formation of unordered and random-coiled structures deteriorated its thermal stability. No aggregation of In in the presence of the imidazolium-based ILs was observed under the tested acidic media.

Rapana thomasiana hemocyanin modified with ionic liquids with enhanced anti breast cancer activity.

This is the first study on the surface modification of a hemocyanin from marine snail Rapana thomasiana (RtH) with series of imidazolium-based amino acid ionic liquids [emim][AA]. We monitored the induced by [emim][AA] conformational changes in RtH molecule and evaluated the effect of these ionic liquids (ILs) on the protein thermal stability. The cytotoxicity of all obtained RtH-[emim][AA] complexes was assessed toward breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and murine fibroblasts (3T3). As a whole, even small amounts of the tested ILs altered the secondary structure of RtH. The thermal denaturation of RtH in presence of [emim][AA] displayed multi-component transitions, which were shifted toward lower temperatures in comparison to those estimated for the native RtH. The profiles of the RtH-IL calorimetric curves show a clear dependence on the structure of the added salts. In addition, all RtH-[emim][AA] complexes exhibited an enhanced antiprofilerative activity of toward MCF-7 cells in comparison to that of the native RtH. The best results are observed for RtH-[emim][Leu], RtH-[emim][Trp] or RtH-[emim][Ile], which applied in concentration of 700 μg/mL inhibited the MCF-7 cell viability (for 24h) by 66, 63 and 53%, respectively. In addition, these IL-RtH complexes were less cytotoxic to 3T3 cells, i.e. they exhibited some cell specificity.

2-(3-benzoyl-1-pyridinio)-3,4-dioxocyclobutenolate.

The title compound, C16H9NO4, also known as the 3-benzoylpyridinium betaine of squaric acid, exhibits a dipolar electronic ground-state structure with a positively charged pyridinium fragment and a negatively charged squarate moiety. In the molecule, the two aromatic rings are twisted by 56.03 (2) degrees relative to one another. The three-dimensional packing of the molecules is stabilized by C-H...O short contacts.

Cyclodidepsipeptides with a promising scaffold in medicinal chemistry

Among the large family of cyclodepsipeptides, the simplest members are the cyclodidepsipeptides which have an ester group and an amide group in the same six-membered ring. To point out the pharmacological potential of this class of compounds, the present article reviews structure, isolation, synthesis and biological properties of the known cyclodidepsipeptides. Synthesis of cyclodidepsipeptides is achieved by two general approaches—by initial formation of the amide bond, or initial formation of the ester bond; and subsequent intermolecular cyclization to cyclodidepsipeptide structure. It is closely related to the condensation and ring-closure strategies applied in the preparation of the larger members of the cyclodepsipeptide family. However, due to synthesis of the smaller heretocycles it allows for the use of more versatile building blocks. There are data on antimicrobial, antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities of cyclodidepsipeptides as well as their inhibitory activities toward α-glucosidase, acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase, xanthine oxidase and platelet aggregation. Because we have recently found that two 6-(propan-2-yl)-4-methyl-morpholine-2,5-diones, as novel non-purine xanthine oxidase inhibitors, may give promise to be used in the treatment of gout, in this review we have included a study of molecular interactions of the selected cyclodidepsipeptides with xanthine oxidase using idTarget web server. Cyclodidepsipeptides showed promising pharmacological activities and meet all criteria for good solubility and permeability. However, further research of their medical application is necessary. In addition to this, the diversity of natural cyclodidepsipeptides, simplicity for synthesis and convenience for rational drug design indicate the cyclodidepsipeptide as promising scaffold in medicinal chemistry.

Synthesis, spectroscopic and TD-DFT quantum mechanical study of azo-azomethine dyes. A laser induced trans-cis-trans photoisomerization cycle

This paper describes the synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and quantum mechanical calculations of three azo-azomethine dyes. The dyes were synthesized via condensation reaction between 4-(dimethylamino)benzaldehyde and three different 4-aminobenzene azo dyes. Quantum chemical calculations on the optimized molecular geometry and electron densities of the trans (E) and cis (Z) isomers and their vibrational frequencies have been computed by using DFT/B3LYP density-functional theory with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set in vacuo. The thermodynamic parameters such as total electronic energy E (RB3LYP), enthalpy H298 (sum of electronic and thermal enthalpies), free Gibbs energy G298 (sum of electronic and thermal free Gibbs energies) and dipole moment μ were computed for trans (E) and cis (Z) isomers in order to estimate the ΔEtrans→cis, Δμtrans→cis,ΔHtrans→cis, ΔGtrans→cis and ΔStrans→cis values. After molecular geometry optimization the electronic spectra have been obtained by TD-DFT calculations at same basis set and correlated with the spectra of vapour deposited nanosized films of the dyes. The NBO analysis was performed in order to understand the intramolecular charge transfer and energy of resonance stabilization. Solvatochromism was investigated by UV-VIS spectroscopy in five different organic solvents with increasing polarity. The dynamic photoisomerization experiments have been performed in DMF by pump lasers λ=355nm (mostly E→Z) and λ=491nm (mostly Z→E) in spectral region 300nm - 800nm at equal concentrations and times of illumination in order to investigate the photodynamical trans-cis-trans properties of the CHN and NN chromophore groups of the dyes.